The Bridewell Museum in Norwich has been awarded nearly £1m from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) towards a major refurbishment project.

Norwich Museums and Archaeology Service (NMAS) has received £998,000 to help fund the £1.5m transformation of the museum, which focuses on Norwich's trade and industry.

Work will include improving disabled access to the site, and creating a new entrance and shop. There will also be new displays installed at the museum, featuring collections from across Norwich's other museums.

A public consultation on the project has already taken place, while students from a local high school have worked with architecture students from the University of Sheffield to develop ideas for how the museum could look.

Funding from the project is also being provided by Norfolk County Council, which will contribute £225,000, as well as a £25,000 commitment from Friends of Norwich Museums. The council, along with Norwich City Council, will also both contribute match funding from building maintenance budgets for the refurbishment of the building.

Vanessa Trevelyan, head of NMAS, said: "This investment by HLF means we can present the story of Norwich trades and industries, and the people who worked in them, in a more engaging way and bring that story up to date."

Leader of Norwich City Council, Steve Morphew, said: "The story of Norwich and its people is a fascinating one, and the Bridewell has always had a very special place in the city's heart. Hopefully, this investment will help this museum to inspire even more people to visit this and other historic gems around the city."

The museum will be closed to the public from 2 November to allow the work to take place, and it is expected to reopen by summer 2011.

Photo: Tom Mackie Images